National Institute of
General Medical Sciences

Each NIGMS funded NRSA program is expected to provide a rigorous, well-designed research training program that includes mentored research experiences, courses, seminars, and additional training opportunities to equip trainees with the following skills required for careers in the biomedical research workforce:

• Technical (for example, appropriate methods, technologies, and quantitative/computational approaches).
• Operational (for example, independent knowledge acquisition, rigorous experimental design, interpretation of data, and conducting research in the safest manner possible).
• Professional (for example, management, leadership, communication, and teamwork).

NIGMS undergraduate and predoctoral cross-disciplinary training programs addresses various levels of the training pathway (e.g., undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D.) and various institutional contexts (e.g., research-active and research-intensive). Specific program goals include:

For more information on TWD programs, including information on the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) (R25), please see the List of Current Programs in TWD.

See examples of biomedical research fields on the NIH Databook under the heading “Biomedical Sciences”.
These programs are intended to provide research training opportunities to students from the breadth of biomedical disciplines at the participating organizations so that trainees are prepared to pursue careers in the biomedical research workforce in a range of biomedical research fields. Proposed programs that are narrowly focused (such as those focused on a single or limited number of biomedical disciplines or approaches at organizations with multiple biomedically relevant departments) will be a low priority for funding.

At the graduate level, NIGMS training programs support students interested in research-based doctoral degrees, not professional degrees (M.D., D.M.D., Pharm.D., Psy.D., etc).

Applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to program staff to discuss their proposed program design and its applicability to NIGMS priorities.

No. The Bridges to the Baccalaureate, U-RISE and MARC programs support undergraduates only. The Bridges to the Doctorate, G-RISE and IMSD programs support predoctoral training. A full list of NIGMS training, career development, research education and fellowship programs can be found here.

NIGMS makes awards to institutions of higher education, and these programs are responsible for selecting the trainees to be supported. To find an institution that has an NIGMS training award, please see the list of participating institutions for each designated program (see the NIGMS Training Awards Dashboard) and reach out to the PI of the program about how to apply to participate.

To promote broad participation among research organizations in cross-disciplinary training programs, NIGMS recognizes separate organizational eligibility tracks:

• Research-intensive, that is, those with an average of NIH research project grant (RPG) funding greater than or equal to $7.5 million total costs per year over the past 3 fiscal years, and
• Research-active, that is, those with an average of RPG funding less than $7.5 million total costs per year over the past 3 fiscal years (RPG data are available through NIH RePORTER (see additional guidance here [PDF]).

For example, applications submitted in FY2025 will use data from FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024.

Additional information on eligibility can be found in Section III. Eligibility Information of each of the NOFOs.

An organization funded through one program (e.g., U-RISE) that changes category due to changes in research project grant funding during the grant cycle should apply to the appropriate program based on their eligibility at the time of the next application submission (e.g., MARC). This would be a new application, but data from prior programs can be incorporated into the Program Plan (as described in the NOFO).

NIGMS will accept only one application for each program (e.g., IMSD) per eligible organization.

Organizations funded through one NOFO are eligible for other NIGMS Training programs provided the other eligibility criteria are met. To avoid any potential for overlap, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the program officers of each program before applying. For example, a research-intensive organization can have both a MARC and IMSD program but cannot have multiple MARC or IMSD programs.

Organizational eligibility is determined by an eligible organization's unique entity identifier (UEI) and unique NIH eRA Institutional Profile File (IPF) number. For institutions with multiple campuses (e.g., main, satellite, etc.), eligibility can be considered for an individual campus only if a UEI and a unique NIH eRA IPF number are established for the individual campus. For institutions that use one UEI or NIH IPF number for multiple campuses, eligibility is determined for the campuses together.

Yes. The need for the NIGMS training program should be justified in your application, for example, by explaining the ways that the NIGMS program is distinct from these other training programs.

Any individual(s) with the skills and knowledge necessary to carry out the proposed research training program as the Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support (see NOT-OD-22-019).

NIGMS encourages multiple PDs/PIs, particularly when each brings a unique perspective and skill set that will enhance training. Note the following:

• To provide research training leadership for the program, at least one of the Training PDs/PIs should have a record of using rigorous and transparent methods in experimental design, data collection, analysis, and reporting in a biomedical research field applicable to the program.
• Additional PDs/PIs may be included to strengthen the expertise of the PD/PI team. Examples include individuals such as program directors who regularly interact with students, or individuals with expertise in education, relevant social sciences, program evaluation, mentoring, efforts to promote broad participation in the biomedical sciences, or university administration.

Any of the PDs/PIs may serve as the contact PD/PI.

The contact PD/PI is expected to have a full-time appointment at the applicant organization unless extremely well-justified. If the full-time status of the contact PD/PI changes after the award, the organization must obtain prior program approval to appoint a new PD/PI or request a deviation from the full-time rule.

(Note: Bridges programs require multiple PIs – one from each participating organization. See the NOFOs for more information)

The applicant organization will select the trainees to be supported by the research training program. It is the responsibility of the organization to establish the qualifications, consistent with applicable law, of the trainees before they are supported by the program. Funded programs may not use the race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of a trainee or faculty candidate as an eligibility or selection criteria.

Trainees must be a citizen or a noncitizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. (A non-citizen national is a person who, although not a citizen of the U.S., owes permanent allegiance to the U.S. This is generally a person born in a land that is not a state, but that is under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration—for example, American Samoa.) An individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence must possess an alien registration receipt card (I-551) prior to appointment on the grant.

Individuals on temporary visas, those seeking asylum or refugees, or those supported through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program are not eligible for support through NIH NRSA programs.

Trainees must be matriculating full-time in baccalaureate or graduate biomedical science degree programs at the applicant organization, as specified in the NOFOs.

Additional details on citizenship, training period, and aggregate duration of support are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

No. Consistent with existing NIGMS practices and applicable law funded programs may not use the race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of a trainee or faculty candidate as an eligibility or selection criteria.

The Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity provides examples of groups for which there are data to demonstrate underrepresentation and is not intended to establish program eligibility. While targeted recruitment and outreach activities to diversify the program applicant pool are permissible, limiting eligibility based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, or sex is not.

There are many permissible activities to promote broad participation in the biomedical research workforce, and to encourage the participation of individuals from underrepresented groups. For example:

• Outreach activities to foster awareness of research training opportunities for potential trainees from all backgrounds.
• Targeted recruitment activities to diversify program applicant pools.
• Program admissions processes that consider factors beyond grade point average and standardized test scores — such as how a trainee candidate's lived experiences and perspectives further their commitment to program goals and a biomedical research career.
• Efforts to create and sustain inclusive research training environments for trainees from diverse backgrounds, for example strengthening faculty skills to work effectively with trainees from various cultural and neurodiverse groups.
• Updating curricula, pedagogy, and academic supports to enhance student success and engagement.
• Expanding mentoring, networking, and skills development opportunities, and financial support for trainees.
• Utilizing data to identify, and as appropriate, feasibly address biases and barriers in the research training environment that impede trainee success.

Applicants and award recipients are encouraged to consult with their General Counsel to ensure all applicable laws and regulations are being followed in program design and implementation.

Organizations are encouraged to recruit prospective candidates from groups underrepresented on the national basis to grow and diversify the program applicant pool. In addition, because underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting, organizations should design a recruitment strategy to promote broad participation based on their local context as well as on national needs.

For more information, see the Website on Enhancing Diversity in Training Programs.

All applications (new and resubmission) are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

With only a few exceptions, NIH does not accept late applications. However, within a two-week window after an application due date, NIH may consider accepting a late application if you have a valid reason for submitting late. Examples of valid reasons and instructions for how to submit a late application can be found in https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-15-039.html.

Yes. Organizations with multiple biomedical Ph.D. granting departments are expected to come together to provide research training opportunities in the breadth of biomedical research disciplines available at the organization.

Organizations with a single biomedical department relevant to the NIGMS mission are also encouraged to apply. Applicants are encouraged to reach out the Scientific/Research Contacts well in advance of application submission to assess the alignment of the proposed program with NIGMS funding priorities.

The number of slots requested should reflect the organization's capacity as determined by the organizational self-assessment (for example, the pool of training grant eligible students and the number of faculty mentors with the ability to commit to the training program). Applicants should only request slots which they can fill.

Programs typically appoint students in cohorts, such that students at a similar stage of their training are appointed at a similar time, for a similar duration, and complete a comparable set of research training activities. New trainee cohorts are typically appointed in each year of the proposed program.

The request for the number of slots must reflect the program's trainee candidate pool, the proven ability of the program to effectively mentor that number of trainees, and the number of years the students will be funded.

Programs that fund students for two years will typically start with half the number of slots for the first year, and then the full number for subsequent years (for example four slots in year 1, and eight slots in years 2-5), while programs that only fund one year will have the same number for all 5 years. Typically, programs appoint a new cohort of trainees each of the 5 years of the award.

All requests for slots must be justified in the application.

Training grants are usually awarded for five years.

The maximum project period is five years.

NIGMS recognizes that some U-RISE-eligible institutions may not have enough active researchers with extramural funding to support on-campus research experiences. However, such institutions could create a biomedical interdisciplinary research training classroom/laboratory/course, as well as establish collaborative arrangements with research institutions that have a significant number of mentors with NIH or other extramural research support to have their students benefit from off-campus research experiences, especially during the summer. Thus, each U-RISE program is strongly encouraged to establish collaborations with institutions that have research-intensive environments (e.g., institutions with NIGMS MARC, IMSD or basic biomedical and medical science T32 programs) in order to facilitate the networking and transition of U-RISE-supported students to T32 training programs, as well as to magnify the institutional impact of the program (see Dashboard of Funded Programs in the NIGMS Division of Training and Workforce Development). Details on how U-RISE trainees will select a research laboratory or be matched with a mentor must be provided in the application, as well as the number of hours that the student will spend in the laboratory, what the research experience will consist of, and what the student is expected to learn or accomplish.

Yes, a Biosketch is required from every proposed program faculty and mentor. The biosketch should be tailored to the research training program. Participating faculty should provide a personal statement that describes the appropriateness of their research background for the proposed training program, and their commitment to the following:

• Training, mentoring, and promoting inclusive, safe, accessible, and supportive research environments.
• Maintaining a record of, and providing training in rigorous and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results.
• Teaching trainees to conduct biomedical research with increasing responsibility and self-direction.
• Supporting trainees participating in activities required to identify and transition into careers in the biomedical research workforce that are consistent with the trainees skills, interests, and values.

NIGMS recognizes that rigorous, well-designed research training programs that further the goals of these programs can take place in a wide variety of organizational environments and with mentors who have varying levels of NIH research project grant support.

Reviewers are asked to evaluate proposed programs considering their stated objectives, organizational context, available resources, and the capacity of those resources to meet the stated objectives.

The application should describe how the participating faculty are trained to ensure the use of evidence-informed teaching, training and mentoring practices that promote the development of trainees from all backgrounds, including trainees from groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences.

Similarly, the application should describe a mechanism to monitor mentoring, including oversight of the effectiveness of the trainee/participating faculty match, and a plan for remediating, and as appropriate, removing faculty displaying unacceptable mentorship qualities from the training program. For more, see the "Program Oversight of Training and Mentoring" section of the Program Plan attachment.

Responsible conduct of research focuses on training in the ethics involved in research, and there is guidance listed in NOT-OD-10-019 and NOT-OD-22-055. Methods for enhancing reproducibility focuses more on ensuring that students receive training in the methods of doing rigorous science such as solid experimental design, minimizing bias, consideration of relevant biological variables, etc. NIGMS expects that instruction in both areas be infused throughout your training program.

No, the DMS Policy does not apply to research and other activities that do not generate scientific data, including, Training Grants.

The purpose of the evaluation is to provide information on the effectiveness of the research training program at meeting its goals, and to effectively track trainee and career outcomes. Evaluation data should be used to inform changes and enhancements to the training program.

For more information, see the NIGMS Evaluation Resources Webpage.

The evaluator can come from same the organization if appropriately independent from directing program activities.

No. Training grants prepare individuals for careers in the biomedical research workforce by developing and implementing evidence-informed educational practices including didactic, research, mentoring, and career development elements. While funded programs are expected to conduct ongoing program evaluations and assessments to monitor the effectiveness of the training and mentoring activities, training grants funds are not intended to support Human Subjects Research (see additional information on Human Subjects Research from NIH and HHS).

If an investigator wishes to conduct Human Subjects Research involving the trainees supported by the training program as research study participants, they must:

• Follow appropriate institutional policies (e.g., obtaining IRB approvals, consenting study participants), and
• Support this research using funds other than those provided by the training grant. Investigators interested in conducting hypothesis-driven research to test biomedical training, mentoring and networking interventions for efficacy and replicability across career stages and institution types are encouraged to apply for the Research on Interventions that Promote the Careers of Individuals in the Biomedical Research Enterprise (R01/R35) Program.

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to Scientific/Research Contact listed in the NOFO if there are any questions.

You must use the PHS 398 Training Budget Form. The instructions for using the PHS 398 Training Budget Form are located in the application guide. Applications need to submit a budget page for each year of the project period – if you are having difficulties, please contact the eRA helpdesk.

Application budgets are not limited, but they need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. NIGMS often funds programs between 4 and 30 trainees per year, as appropriate to the organizational capabilities.

No.

Students may not concurrently hold another federally sponsored award that duplicates support of the NIGMS training program.

NIGMS training programs are Kirschstein-NRSA awards, which are intended to provide a subsistence allowance to help defray living expenses during the research training experience. Stipend levels, as well as funding amounts for tuition and fees, are announced annually in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and also posted on the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) webpage.

The GRE and graduate school application fees are allowable as long as the institution has consistency in paying for this type of the cost. If the institution pays for the GRE and graduate school application fees for trainees regardless of the trainee’s source of support, and the cost conforms to the institution’s established written policy, these would be an allowable costs. Please review the cost principles as detailed in the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information.

Yes, NIGMS will provide up to $1,000 per trainee to travel to scientific meetings or training experiences that will enhance scientific development, build science identity, create a sense of belonging in the scientific community, and build professional networks.

For organizations outside the continental United States, NIGMS will provide $1,250 for trainee travel.

Yes. Undergraduate trainees are required to participate in at least one summer research experience (SRE), typically for at least 8-weeks, that will broaden and deepen their research training.

For Bridges to Baccalaureate this experience must be at the bachelor's granting partner organization. NIGMS provides $4,000 per Bridges trainee, to be used in accordance with the institutional policies as a per diem for a period of up to ten weeks.

For U-RISE and MARC, NIGMS provides $4,000 per trainee, to be used in accordance with the institutional policies as a per diem for a period of up to ten weeks. An additional $750 for travel to and from the host organization (for programs supported at organizations outside the continental United States, $1,000 for travel per trainee per year will be provided). For additional budget guidance on the summer research requirement, see T34 Summer Research Experience Policy.

Yes, the $4,000 per trainee for the summer research experience is separate from the $1,000 per trainee funds to travel to scientific meetings.

Yes, students should continue to receive the monthly stipend for the duration of the period that they are appointed to the training grant program. This is in addition to the $4,000 per trainee that is described above.

Yes, training related expenses (TRE) funds can be used on activities that are directly related to the training grant program.

Funds cannot be spent on students who are not appointed to the training grant. If trainees are appointed during the pre-U-RISE seminar series, the only amount that can be charged to the grant is the portion of the series that overlaps with the trainee appointments.

Training awards contain a lump sum of “Training Related Expenses” that can be rebudgeted within applicable Public Health Service policies in order to meet the expenses in personnel, consultants, equipment, supplies, travel and other program related expenses (e.g., skills development activities, program evaluation), unless the rebudgeting has been specifically prohibited in the Notice of Award. For more, please see the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

No. NIGMS expects organizations to prioritize the provision of trainee benefits, such as health insurance, using TRE funds. Remaining funds may be used for allowable costs associated with:

• Salary support for the PD/PI or in a combination of multiple PD(s)/PI(s)/co-Investigators.
• Salary support for administrative personnel.
• Skills development training activities (for example, focusing on quantitative and computational, problem-solving, critical thinking, scientific writing, effective communication, and project management).
• Seminar speakers, who will serve as role models to the trainees.
• Training or mentoring interventions designed to increase persistence in research (for example, those designed to increase science identity, self-efficacy and a sense of belonging in the scientific community).
• Limited program evaluation costs.
• Other program-related expenses may be included within the budget for training-related expenses.

TRE expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant organization.

If expenses in one category are excessive, it may limit the ability for the program do the enriching activities that are important for trainee skill development.

Please see https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2017/03/31/what-is-a-person-month-how-do-i-calculate-it/.

Applicants should request full needs for tuition and fees. If tuition is charged per credit hour, request an amount based on the average number of credit hours taken by full time students at your institution in programs similar to those in the proposed training programs. NIH will determine the amount of tuition and fees to be provided according to the policies current at the time of award. The formula currently in effect will be applied by NIH at the time an award is calculated.

Do not include health insurance in the tuition/fees fields.

Follow the instructions in the SF-424 instruction set for the PHS 398 Training Budget page and enter the total tuition/fees request for all requested trainee positions under section A of the PHS 398 Training Budget page. Additionally, itemize tuition and individual fees on the budget justification page. If tuition varies (e.g., in-state, out-of-state, student status), provide a breakdown on the budget justification page and list the various rates separately.

Tuition, fees and health insurance (self-only or family) are allowable trainee costs only if such charges are applied consistently to all people in a similar training status at the organization, without regard to their source of support. Health insurance can include coverage for costs such as vision and/or dental care if consistent with organizational policy. Health insurance is awarded as part of the Training Related Expenses category.

Compensation to faculty for program related effort not already covered by the faculty members typical duties is allowable from TRE. These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution.

The costs per trainee are not escalated for inflation in the future years.

A summary of key data from the tables should also be included in the narrative of the application. Please reference https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/data-tables.htm for blank tables, instructions, and sample tables.

Applications that do not contain the required tables, or that submit any additional tables in the data tables attachment will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed.

Applicants must not include these Suggested Tables in the required Training Data Tables attachment, or the application will be withdrawn. Instead, include the suggested formats in the section of application indicated in the NOFO (that is, the “Other Attachments” Section).

Yes. This will allow reviewers and program staff to appropriately assess the overall training environment.

Generally, the review process timeline takes about 9 to 10 months. The first 1 to 2 months are for referral, then the review panel will be assigned applications, conduct reviews and hold the review meeting after 2 to 6 months. Summary statements should be available approximately 6 to 7 months after submission, and then funding decisions are made after the advisory council meeting, approximately 8 to 9 months after the submission date.

Applications will be reviewed by one of two standing NIGMS study sections: TWD-C and TWD-D. These study sections are equivalent, and applications are assigned to one of the two to balance conflicts and workload. Questions on review can be directed to NIGMSReview@mail.nih.gov. NIGMS does not utilize site visits as part of the review process.

Scores and summary statements can be accessed through the Principal Investigator's (PI's) eRA Commons account.

There is no predetermined fundable score for applications. Applications compete for available funds with all other recommended applications from eligible institutions. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
• Availability of funds.
• Relevance of the proposed research training program to NIGMS priorities.
• Broad geographic and organizational distribution.
  
• Contributions to portfolio breadth as outlined in the NIGMS Strategic Plan [PDF].
  

For more information visit NIGMS Funding Policies.

Program staff takes the requested number of slots and study section recommendation into consideration when determining slot number. However, slots awarded are determined by a number of factors, including NIGMS' training budget, training grant eligible pool, and program outcomes.

Yes, all trainees must have an appointment form submitted through the eRA Commons to xTrain before they may receive their stipend.

Please see this xTrain Quick Reference Guide for additional information.

Yes, if trainees cannot continue in the grant program for the full appointment period, an amended appointment must be submitted to xTrain with the correct appointment period. Please see: https://era.nih.gov/help-tutorials/xtrain?q=services_for_applicants/other/xTrain.cfm for more details.

Appointments are generally made in 12-month increments. Students may be supported for the length of time specified in the NOFO (typically, two to three years).

Generally, trainees under Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grants are appointed for fulltime 12-month continuous periods. No trainee may be appointed under a regular Kirschstein-NRSA institutional research training grant for less than 9 months except with prior written approval of NIGMS, and then usually only to complete an ongoing program of training. An initial appointment of less than 9 months may be allowed provided an assurance is included that the individual will be immediately reappointed in the subsequent year so that the cumulative continuous training period is at least 9 months.

No. Trainees can be appointed at any point during the 12-month budget period. At the time of an initial appointment the costs for stipends, tuition, and applicable F&A are obligated for the entire 12-month appointment beginning in the budget year the appointment is initiated.

No. Since a trainee's full 12-months of stipend and tuition is charged to the budget year in which the appointment was made, this does not impact awarded slots in the following budget year.

It depends on the Summary Statement IRG recommendation. If the award includes fewer trainee slots than what was recommended by the IRG in the Summary Statement, then the grantee may rebudget to support up to the number of trainee slots/months recommended by the IRG. The grantee cannot rebudget to support more than the IRG recommended number of trainee slots/months without NIGMS prior approval. Each Notice of Award will include a term under Section IV that lists the awarded number of trainee slots/months and the maximum number of trainee slots/months that may be appointed through rebudgeting.

Generally, only existing program participants can be supported while a grant is on a no-cost extension. Consideration may be given if:

• The program has existing funds to support the new students for a minimum of 12months,
• There is a plan to submit a renewal or new application to continue the program, and
• There is evidence of appropriate program management and successful outcomes.

The PI should contact the Program Officer and Grants Management Specialist for prior approval.

It is possible, but there are a few things to consider.

For undergraduate (T34) programs: U-RISE or MARC students are sometimes accepted for summer programs that are supported by other federal grants. Trainees may receive additional compensation from federal sources as described in section 11.3.10.2 of the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Federal funds may not be used for stipend supplementation unless specifically authorized under the terms of the program from which funds are derived. Under no circumstances may PHS funds be used for supplementation. The summer research experience (SRE) allowance is provided so that students do not have to be supported by other federal awards (e.g., R25s or short appointment T35s) and so they are not “double counted” from an NIH perspective.

For graduate (T32) programs: Applicants are strongly encouraged to describe any proposed internships, including research training experiences away from the parent organization, that are part of the training program with sufficient detail in the grant application. If this is not included in the grant application, NIH prior written approval is required prior to the internship. To complete a break in training grant support (in this case for a paid internship), submit a Termination Notice via X-Train. Upon resumption of Kirschstein-NRSA support, document the reappointment on another Statement of Appointment form submitted via X-Train.

Please see the NIH Grants Policy Statement for policy regarding leave, vacations and holidays.

Any individual trainee cannot receive more than 5 years of aggregate NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination of support from NRSA institutional research training grants and individual fellowships. Students are typically provided full-time support for two to three years of graduate studies. Use of training grant support in the first three years of graduate research training is strongly encouraged to provide maximum flexibility in the participation in courses, laboratory rotations, professional development, and cohort-building activities.

No, only prior NRSA predoctoral support would be counted toward the limit.

Funds may be re-budgeted only as follows (see table for quick summary):

Trainee Costs: For rebudgeting purposes, trainee costs include funds awarded in the stipends and tuition/fees budget categories. These costs may not be used for other purposes except under unusual circumstances and then only with the prior approval of the NIH awarding IC. Unless otherwise restricted by the terms and conditions of the grant award, rebudgeting into or within the stipends and tuition/fees is allowable without prior approval.

Trainee-Related Expenses: Rebudgeting of funds awarded in a lump sum for trainee-related expenses does not require NIH awarding IC prior approval.

Trainee Travel: Rebudgeting of funds awarded in a lump sum for trainee travel does not require NIH awarding IC prior approval.

Summer Research Experience (SRE, as applicable): Note that SRE funds are restrictive and cannot be rebudgeted into any other category, unless granted permission from NIGMS.

The table below summarizes what cost categories can be rebudgeted without NIH prior approval.

No. Any stipend increases are effective only for NRSA program awards made with funds from the fiscal year in which the stipend increase was effective. No retroactive adjustments or supplementation of stipends or other budgetary categories with Kirschstein-NRSA funds for an award made prior to October are permitted. However, an organization may use other non-Federal funds to supplement stipends for existing trainees as long as there is no additional obligation for the trainee and the organization has policies in place consistently applied to all individuals in similar training status regardless of the source of funds.

Yes, training-related funds may be used to defray such costs as staff salaries when they are directly related to the training program.

Trainee travel, including attendance at scientific meetings (both in the U.S. and abroad) that the institution determines to be necessary to the individual's research training, is an allowable trainee expense. Justification for the travel is key. In addition, U.S. flag air carriers must be used to the maximum extent possible when commercial air transportation is the means of travel between the United States and a foreign country or between foreign countries.

Yes. Under the Training Related Expenses category of a training grant, funds are provided to defray such training costs as staff travel and other expenses directly related to the training program. If a program director is representing more than one program, the grantee institution should allocate the costs among all the programs.

NIGMS typically does not permit carryover from one budget period to the next. These funds are used by the Institute to offset future year commitments. This helps us to utilize the training budget available in the most judicious manner possible.

No. However, since trainees may be appointed at any time during the 12-month budget period, you could appoint all of your trainees to start at whatever date coincides with your training schedule for a full twelve-month appointment.

Change of PI requires prior approval. Please send the request through the eRA Commons via the Prior Approval — Change of PD/PI link. Be sure to include the NIH format biosketch, other support documentation, and an updated MPI Leadership plan (as applicable). NIGMS will review the materials.

A countersigned letter requesting approval of an acting PD/PI should be submitted to NIGMS. The letter should describe plans for the conduct of the program during the original PD's absence and indicate that the acting PD/PI will have signature authority on trainee forms. A copy of the acting PD/PIs biosketch should be included. NIGMS will review the request and provide a written decision to the grantee.

Generally, no. NRSA institutional research training grants may not be transferred except under the most unusual circumstances.

Electronic submission of the FFR through the eRA Commons is required from the grantee for each budget period no later than 90 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the budget period ended. The NIH Commons is available at https://public.era.nih.gov/commons. Additional information on electronic submission of FFRs is available at the Commons Web page, or by contacting the eRA Service Desk Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552; Tel: 301-402-7469; Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET (closed on federal holidays). If you need immediate help (i.e. you are within 2 days of a deadline or in the event of a security emergency), call the ServiceDesk rather than submitting a web ticket. Note that the Service Desk's busiest hours are 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET. eRA website

These monies should be reflected as an unliquidated obligation since these are bona fide expenses charged/incurred to the Stipend and Tuition categories but have not yet been paid. As a reminder, if the FFR report covers the final budget period of the project period, it must have no unliquidated obligations and must indicate the exact balance of unobligated funds.

The forms are critical to establishing the payment of stipends and other costs and determining possible payback service. Failure to submit the required forms in a timely manner will result in an expenditure disallowance or a delay in any continuation funding

Annual progress reports are due the following dates for each program:

This differs from other NIH Institutes and Center, therefore we include a reminder in the Terms and Conditions section of the training grant Notice of Award. If a competitive renewal (Type2) application has been submitted, the recipient must submit an Interim-RPPR 120 days from the project period end date. In the event the Type 2 is funded, NIH will treat the Interim-RPPR as the annual performance report for the final year of the previous competitive segment. If the Type 2 is not funded, the Interim-RPPR will be treated as the Final RPPR.

Final RPPR is required for any grant that is terminated and is due within 120 calendar days of the end of the project period.

For the first year, the report should cover the dates from the Notice of Award until the time of submitting the award.

For subsequent years, the report should cover information from the date that the last progress report was submitted.

For example, since NIGMS requests the progress reports for G-RISE T32s on September 15, in the first year of the award the RPPR will cover the period from May 1 of that year to September 15. New awards or those in the first year of their grant cycle may have less to report on in the first progress report. Future progress reports should include information from the date of the previous progress report submission.

All progress reports require use of the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) module to submit annual progress reports. See information and resources on the RPPR, including the current RPPR Instruction Guide.

Yes, reporting on RCR training is a required element on NRSA progress reports. A concise description of RCR training should be done and be no longer than one page in length.

Yes. The NIH Public Access Policy requires that any publications of individuals supported by an NRSA training grant be linked to the grant and have a PMCID number. Listing trainee publications on progress reports that were done during a reporting period must include a PMCID number; non-compliance could delay the start of the next award. Visit the Public Access Policy Web site for more details.

Evaluation data is for the use of the PI and the institutional team. Evaluation data is not a required part of the RPPR. However, programs are encouraged to report on how evaluation data will impact program administration.

See the video for xTRACT and the video for xTRACT for RPPR.

Training grant awardees must use the xTRACT system to create the required training tables for RPPRs due on or after October 1, 2019.

Use of xTRACT for new and renewal training grant applications is not mandatory; however, it may be required in future years.

For more information on the use of xTRACT, see NOT-OD-18-133.

For institutions that have internal databases, xTRACT has now introduced an upload option. View the User Guide [PDF] for more information.

The xTRACT table cannot be converted to Excel.

Yes, through the xTRACT module in eRA Commons.

See the xTRACT for RPPR video. Currently, xTRACT creates a final pdf document once all the information is complete. Attach that to the RPPR.

Yes, all data entered in xTRACT will be stored for future use.

Yes, stored data will pre-populate the tables.

Not yet. Trainee data stored in xTRACT will eventually be able to be copied into the research training dataset for another training grant within a given institution.

NIH has not yet made a final decision about how long data will be stored, but the current expectation is that data will be stored long term.

Inaccuracies in appointment data should be corrected within xTRAIN. For other inaccuracies, contact the eRA Service Desk.

Yes.

Contact the eRA Service Desk:
Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Tel: 301-402-7469
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time (closed on Federal holidays)

If you need immediate help (i.e. you are within 2 days of a deadline or in the event of a security emergency), call the Service Desk rather than submitting a web ticket. Note that the Service Desk's busiest hours are between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET. eRA website

List each department participating in the T32 program. If the graduate program is comprised of six departments but only four participate in the T32, then just list those four. If all the departments in the graduate program participate in the T32 program, then all of them need to be listed.

No. For due dates on or after January 25, 2025, applicants will be expected to provide data only for the training stage(s) reflected in the proposed program. Programs that are focused solely on predoctoral research training must complete Part I (Predoctorates) and do not include Part II (Postdoctorates).

No, all federal training grants should be included (not just NIH).

Yes.

No. Awards in no-cost extension status should be excluded from this table. 

No, it is not a weighted average. The average reported here should be the sum of the current year direct costs divided by the total number of participating faculty.

Yes - if a faculty member is one of the PIs of a multi-PI award, they should be listed.

All funds available to the faculty member should be listed on the table, including university funds (like start-up funds), and foundation, and other discretionary funds. Do not include grant applications pending award or review.

Follow table instructions. For new applications:

• New applications. List sequentially, by year of entry, all trainees graduating in a field or from a program similar to the proposed program in the last five years who would have been eligible for the proposed program, if an NIH or other HHS training or related award were available (in most cases, these will be U.S. citizens or permanent residents). These individuals should match the individuals listed in Table 8.
• Renewal/revision applications. List sequentially, by year of entry into the training program, all trainees who have been supported by this grant at any time during the last 10 grant years, including those who did not complete the training program for any reason. If the grant has been active for less than 10 years, list all trainees to date. These individuals should match the individuals listed in Table 8 for the last 10 years.

No, PMCIDs do not have to be included in Table 5 for competing renewal applications. If an award is to be made, the PI will submit their My NCBI report for their student publications. See NIH NOT OD-16-004 requirement to report PMC information on publications that arose from work conducted by the trainee while supported by the training grant will be moved to the Just-in-Time process.

Yes, these may be cited in the application - see the table instructions. Please see the guidance on definitions, citations, and selection of interim research product repositories (NOT-OD-17-050).

Only for Table 5D (Publications of Trainees Supported by this Program: Undergraduate), published conference abstracts at a scientific conference external to the applicant organization(s) of undergraduate students. Do not list abstracts resulting from work done prior to entering the undergraduate program or arising from research initiated after the completion of the program.

In Part II: Recent Graduates, list sequentially all students graduating from the proposed program in the last 5 years who would have been eligible for appointment, if an NIH or other HHS training or related award were available (in most cases, these will be U.S. citizens or permanent residents). For each student, provide the information described in Part I above, except “Summary of Support During Training.”

A training grant's completion rate should be calculated based on students entering the institution's graduate programs ten years prior to the reporting year. For example, when reporting for 2024-2025, programs should report on the percentage of students that began graduate studies at their institution ten years earlier (i.e., academic year 2014-2015) and that were supported by the training grant at any point within that 10-year time frame. If all of those students have completed a Ph.D. by the ten-year mark, the completion rate will be100%. If some students have left the program without a Ph.D., transferred to medical school or another doctoral-level professional program, or are still in training, the completion rate should be reduced accordingly. Individuals transferring to or from Ph.D. programs in similar fields at other institutions should be excluded from both the entering and graduating cohorts in calculating the completion rate.

Yes, these fellowship awards should be included for grant support. Predoctoral fellowships should be included in the "Summary of Support During Training" column. Postdoctoral fellowships should appear in the "Subsequent Grants" column. You should follow your students and those that you list as "clearly associated" during the time they are in grad school and afterward for a total of 15 years. The PI should be reporting research or fellowships awards they obtain as postdocs and as independent researchers.

NIGMS encourage use of specific language regarding the "initial position" and "current position" columns. That is, reviewers tend to find the word "student" (or even "graduate student") ambiguous, so we recommend using specific language to describe the training program they are in (e.g., "PhD Student" "MD/PhD Student," etc.). We want to ensure grantees present this information clearly in non-competing years so that it's clear when they come up for renewal. For example,